Methods and apparatus for marking and identifying hooks of electric motors

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for marking and identifying a commutator hook of an electric motor are provided. A preselected commutator hook is marked by deforming the hook while the armature is in a winding machine, with a known angular position. The marked hook is identified by apparatus which determines whether or not the hook has been deformed while in the winding machine, and thereby recognizing the hook. <IMAGE>

What is claimed as the invention is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for selectively deforming a first portion of a workpiece and recognizing said first portion, said apparatus comprising: means for deforming said first portion of said workpiece by a predetermined amount sufficient to distinguish said first portion from a second portion of said workpiece;   a sensing member;   means coupled to said sensing member for moving said sensing member a predetermined distance relative to said workpiece to cause said sensing member to contact and apply a force to said workpiece;   means for monitoring the force exerted on said sensing member; and   means responsive to said means for monitoring for distinguishing said first portion of said workpiece from said second portion of said workpiece on the basis of the monitored force, to recognize said first portion.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 further comprising: means responsive to said means for distinguishing for causing a first processing operation to be performed on said first portion; and   means responsive to said means for distinguishing for causing a second processing operation to be performed on said second portion.   
     
     
       3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said first processing operation is a fusing operation in which said first portion is fused by causing an electrode to be displaced according to a first predetermined displacement function, and said second processing operation is a fusing operation in which said second portion is fused by causing an electrode to be displaced according to a second predetermined displacement function. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said first processing operation is a fusing operation in which said first portion is fused by causing an electrode to apply force to said workpiece according to a first predetermined force function, and said second processing operation is a fusing operation in which said second portion is fused by causing an electrode to apply force to said workpiece according to a second predetermined force function. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said first processing operation is a fusing operation in which electric current is applied to said first portion to heat said first portion according to a first predetermined function, and said second processing operation is a fusing operation in which electric current is applied to said second portion to heat said second portion according to a second predetermined function. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said workpiece is an armature of an electric motor, and said first and second portions of said workpiece are commutator hooks. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus for selectively deforming and recognizing a first portion of a workpiece, said apparatus comprising: means for deforming said first portion of said workpiece by a predetermined amount sufficient to distinguish said first portion from a second portion of said workpiece;   a sensing member;   means coupled to said sensing member for moving said sensing member relative to said workpiece to cause said sensing member to contact and apply a predetermined force to said workpiece;   means for monitoring the relative motion of said sensing member and said workpiece; and   means responsive to said means for monitoring for distinguishing a first portion of said workpiece from a second portion of said workpiece to recognize said first portion.   
     
     
       8. The apparatus defined in claim 7 further comprising: means responsive to said means for distinguishing for causing a first processing operation to be performed on said first portion; and   means responsive to said means for distinguishing for causing a second processing operation to be performed on said second portion.   
     
     
       9. The apparatus defined in claim 8 wherein said first processing operation is a fusing operation in which said first portion is fused by causing an electrode to be displaced according to a first predetermined displacement function, and said second processing operation is a fusing operation in which said second portion is used by causing an electrode to be displaced according to a second predetermined displacement function. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus defined in claim 8 wherein said first processing operation is a fusing operation in which said first portion is fused by causing an electrode to apply force to said workpiece according to a first predetermined force function, and said second processing operation is a fusing operation in which said second portion is fused by causing an electrode to apply force to said workpiece according to a second predetermined force function. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus defined in claim 8 wherein said first processing operation is a fusing operation in which electric current is applied to said first portion to heat said first portion according to a first predetermined function, and said second processing operation is a fusing operation in which electric current is applied to said second portion to heat said second portion according to a second predetermined function. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein said workpiece is an armature of an electric motor, and said first and second portions of said workpiece are commutator hooks. 
     
     
       13. The method of suing a deforming member to deform a first portion of a workpiece and a sensing member to recognize said first portion, comprising the steps of: moving said deforming member relative to said workpiece in order to cause said deforming member to contact and apply force to said first portion, to deform said first portion and thereby distinguish said first portion from a second portion of said workpiece;   moving said sensing member relative to said workpiece to cause said sensing member to contact and apply a predetermined force to said workpiece;   monitoring the relative motion of said sensing member and said workpiece; and   distinguishing said first portion of said workpiece from a second portion of said workpiece on the basis of said relative motion to recognize said first portion.   
     
     
       14. The method defined in claim 13 further comprising the steps of: causing a first processing operation to be performed on said first portion; and   causing a second processing operation to be performed on said second portion.   
     
     
       15. The method defined in claim 14 wherein said first processing operation is a fusing operation in which said first portion is fused by causing an electrode to be displaced according to a first predetermined displacement function, and said second processing operation is a fusing operation in which said second portion is fused by causing an electrode to be displaced according to a second predetermined displacement function. 
     
     
       16. The method defined in claim 14 wherein said first processing operation is a fusing operation in which said first portion is fused by causing an electrode to apply force to said workpiece according to a first predetermined force function, and said second processing operation is a fusing operation in which said second portion is fused by causing an electrode to apply force to said workpiece according to a second predetermined force function. 
     
     
       17. The method defined in claim 14 wherein said first processing operation is a fusing operation in which electric current is applied to said first portion to heat said first portion according to a first predetermined function, and said second processing operation is a fusing operation in which electric current is applied to said second portion to heat said second portion according to a second predetermined function. 
     
     
       18. The method of using a deforming member and a sensing member to deform a first portion of a workpiece and to recognize said first portion, respectively, comprising the steps of: moving said deforming member relative to said workpiece in order to cause said deforming member to contact and apply force to said first portion, to deform said first portion and thereby distinguish said first portion from a second portion of said workpiece;   moving said sensing member a predetermined distance relative to said workpiece;   monitoring force exerted on said sensing member when said sensing member has been moved said predetermined distance; and   distinguishing said first portion of said workpiece from an second portion of said workpiece on the basis of said relative motion to recognize said first portion.   
     
     
       19. The method defined in claim 18 further comprising the steps of: causing a first processing operation to be performed on said first portion; and   causing a second processing operation to be performed on said second portion.   
     
     
       20. The method defined in claim 19 wherein said first processing operation is a fusing operation in which said first portion is fused by causing an electrode to be displaced according to a first predetermined displacement function, and said second processing operation is a fusing operation in which said second portion if fused by causing an electrode to be displaced according to a second predetermined displacement function. 
     
     
       21. The method defined in claim 19 wherein said first processing operation is a fusing operation in which said first portion is fused by causing an electrode to apply force to said workpiece according to a first predetermined force function, and said second processing operation is a fusing by causing an electrode to apply force to said workpiece according to a second predetermined force function. 
     
     
       22. The method defined in claim 19 wherein said first processing operation is a fusing operation in which electric current is applied to said first portion to heat said first portion according to a first predetermined function, and said second processing operation is a fusing operation in which electric current is applied to said second portion to heat said second portion according to a second predetermined function. 
     
     
       23. The method of using a sensing member to determine whether a preselected hook member of a workpiece is wrapped with a single wire, comprising the steps of: moving said sensing member relative to said workpiece to cause said sensing member to contact said preselected hook member and thereby deform said preselected hook member by a predetermined amount;   monitoring force exerted on said sensing member when said sensing member has deformed said preselected hook member by said predetermined amount;   comparing said monitored force with a predetermined force value representative of the force resistance exerted by a typical hook member that is wrapped with a single wire; and   recognizing said preselected hook member as a hook member that is wrapped with a single wire if said monitored force and said predetermined force value are substantially equal.   
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the steps of: comparing said monitored force with a second predetermined force value representative of the force resistance exerted by a typical hook member that is wrapped with two wires; and   recognizing said preselected hook member as a hook member that is wrapped with two wires if said monitored force and said second predetermined force value are substantially equal.   
     
     
       25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of rejecting said workpiece if said monitored force is not substantially equal to either of said first or second predetermined force values. 
     
     
       26. Apparatus for determining whether a preselected hook member of a workpiece is wrapped with a single wire, comprising: a sensing member;   means for moving said sensing member a predetermined distance relative to said workpiece to contact said preselected hook member;   means coupled to said sensing member for monitoring force exerted on said sensing member when said sensing member has been moved said predetermined distance; and   means responsive to said means for monitoring for recognizing said preselected hook member as a hook member that is wrapped with a single wire if said monitored force is within a predetermined range of force.   
     
     
       27. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising means for recognizing said preselected hook member as a hook member that is wrapped with more than one sire if said monitored force is within a second predetermined range of force. 
     
     
       28. Apparatus for determining whether a preselected hook member of a workpiece is wrapped with a single wire, comprising: a sensing member;   means for moving said sensing member a predetermined distance relative to said workpiece to contact and apply a predetermined force to said preselected hook member;   means coupled to said sensing member for monitoring the relative motion of said sensing member and said preselected hook member; and   means for recognizing said preselected hook member as a hook member that is wrapped with a single wire if said monitored relative motion is within a predetermined range of motion.   
     
     
       29. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising means for recognizing said preselected hook member as a hook member that is wrapped with more than one wire if said monitored relative motion is within a second predetermined range of motion. 
     
     
       30. A method for determining whether a preselected hook member of a workpiece is wrapped with a single wire, comprising the steps of: moving a sensing member relative to said workpiece to cause said sensing member to contact and apply a predetermined force to said preselected hook member;   monitoring the relative motion of said sensing member and said workpiece; and   recognizing said preselected hook member as a hook member that is wrapped with a single wire if said monitored relative motion is within a predetermined range of motion.   
     
     
       31. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of recognizing said preselected hook member as a hook member that is wrapped with more than one wire if said monitored relative motion is within a second predetermined range of motion. 
     
     
       32. A method for determining whether a preselected hook member of a workpiece is wrapped with a single wire, comprising the steps of: moving a sensing member relative to said workpiece to cause said sensing member to contact and apply a predetermined force to said preselected hook member;   moving said sensing member a predetermined distance relative to said workpiece;   monitoring force exerted on said sensing member when said sensing member has been moved said predetermined distance; and   recognizing said preselected hook member as a hook member that is wrapped with a single wire if said monitored force is within a predetermined range of force.   
     
     
       33. The apparatus of claim 32 further comprising means for recognizing said preselected hook member as a hook member that is wrapped with more than one wire fi said monitored force is within a second predetermined range of force.